Aug

20

Diving for Discounts

Filed Under Saving Money | 1 Comment

the art and science of dumpster divingLast week, the Miami Herald published what I find to be a troubling article, entitled Freegans, referring to people who live by salvaging other people’s discards.  As the “anti-consumers”, these people both eschew capitalism and loathe waste.  Also referred to as Dumpster Diving and many other terms, it includes searching for anything, including food, with health warnings galore.  There’s even a book about it!

Personally, used food is where I draw the line.  But for furniture and other treasures, it can really be a good way to go.  Last week, before leaving on our trip, my sister went through the (dry, all paper) garbage in her mail room to retrieve about 50 Dunkin Donuts free-coupon books that we’ve been using along the way.  I have furnished a few houses almost exclusively with found objects.  My friend Ralph found a stereo component in perfect working order, and sold it on eBay for several hundred dollars. And that’s just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.  We’ve barely scratched the surface of stuff you can buy second-hand to save you unbelievable amounts of money.

Most things can be used and re-used before they reach the end of their natural lives.  Some continue in their original uses, maybe in a different place.  Some things are transformed into other items or to objects of art. (I call this Art Wrecko.)

How do you find the best things without getting your hands dirty?  Beyond rubber gloves, start by “shopping” in the finest areas — find out which nights are garbage nights in the high-rent districts in your area, and bone up on your Antique Roadshow skills.  One friend of mine found two old chairs, took them home to strip and refinish and discovered that they were actually valuable antiques!

Beyond Craigslist, Ebay and local yard and estate sales, there are lots of places to shop, some without even having to leave home.  For a starting list of free and bartering sites, click here.

Finally, a Road Trip update:  We’ve been on Fire Island for 6 days so far, and have spent an additional $7 to buy ice cream for our housemates. That’s all, folks!

Jul

7

Curb Appeal

Filed Under Freebies | Comments Off

Free StuffIn our continuing quest to find the best ways to find what you want and you need for less money, I have promised to write more on yard sales and other clever ideas as they come up.  I would therefore like to pass along an email I received from reader Mike Morone from upstate New York.  Mike is spearheading a movement called Curb Day, with a national call to the streets to find new homes for all things unused and unwanted.

Here’s his idea:

Nation-wide “Curb Day” – October 24, 2009

Unclutter your Life

What’s rusting in your garage?  On Curb Day, people are encouraged to unclutter their homes by bringing to their curbs durable goods that are safe, legal, and valuable to others. Acceptable items include sporting goods, electronics, tools, books, toys, shoes, clothing, plants, building materials, furniture, and more.

People all over the country will be out and about that weekend, picking up these items for free.

Curb Day will be a fun and efficient way to remove clutter and provide free valuable items to others. It will also reduce the number of items that wind up in landfills.

Curb Day will occur twice per year, in October and May. It will supplement resources like Freecycle, Craig’s List, eBay, and second-hand stores.

Please help by:

  • Publishing an article about Curb Day (done!)
  • Sending this email to all your colleagues
  • Marking your calendar for October 24th to bring out your unneeded possessions
  • Asking elected officials to grant a temporary variance to rules that prohibit this activity
  • Sending us your ideas, stories, and photos of items you’ve picked up in the past

Learn more about Curb Day and sign in for updates at http://www.curbday.com/.

Well, Mike, we love your idea and will do our part to spread the word.  Please keep us posted on your progress.

For more thoughts on second-hand treasures, click here.

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